Not much more than a hundred years ago, people needed to be in the same room to talk to each other. This changed with the advent of the telephone, and soon people were could speak to each other worldwide 24 hours a day.
Now, in the space of very few years indeed, we have gone from mobile phones the size of suitcases to mobile phones the size of your palm, that allow you to watch your favourite TV show, which you recorded at home, while you are on holiday on the other side of the world.
It's not just your mobile that we're discussing here - televisions and laptops have seen some incredible advances over the last decade. And these machines are not just getting smarter, but easier to use as well. You now don't need to know how to program your laptop or your phone, as it will now do what you want, straight out of the box. In effect, they are simply screens, for accessing your films, your music, your photos or your websites. Which one you use is entirely down to which one you feel like using at that moment.
What you want, where you want, when you want
In the past when you missed your favourite TV show your only option was to find a friend who had taped it, but now Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) mean you never need to miss a show again.
So now the question becomes which piece of technology to watch it on, where and when? On the comfy living room sofa via your games console, on the train to work on your mobile or media player, or on the laptop in the cafe on Saturday morning while you contemplate a second latte?
It's the same story with music, movies and games. The latest HD TVs and Blu-ray players offer stunning visuals and awe-inspiring sound - almost cinematic quality in some cases - and will soon be able to display 3D too. If your player is connected to the Internet, you can go online using BD Live to access extra features or chat about the film with other film buffs.
Also, if your Blu-ray came with a digital copy, you can put it on your mobile phone, laptop or iPod and watch it anywhere you like. In fact you don't need to buy a physical disk at all - you can do the same with films and TV series you download from the Internet. This means that you can watch the films you want on whatever screen is most convenient, whether that's your TV, laptop or mobile.
Due to the smaller size of music files, sharing the latest singles or albums across your personal technology is even easier. Music streaming services like last.fm or Spotify mean you don't even need to buy the songs to have a constant soundtrack to your life. Whether you are downloading or streaming direct from the Internet, watching YouTube videos on your computer or through your games console, you can listen to what you want, where you want and when you want with minimum fuss.
If you want to see three screen technology in action, just check out our short film from CES.
Share and share alike
Beyond what you can download, what about the photos, videos and music that you already own? What if you could experience them anywhere that you chose? Mobile phones and PCs can now communicate with each other instantly, and televisions will soon have these capabilities built-in. In the meantime you can watch all of your content through your TV by connecting to your PC or console.
Imagine having all of your photos and videos available in an instant on your TV screen. Or send them wirelessly to your digital photo frame and your mobile phone at the same time! With modern home technology this is all possible in seconds, and there needn't ever be another row over the remote - some smartphones can now be set up as up as remotes for these devices.
Spreading your wings
Using your mobile phone, laptop (or perhaps soon your tablet computer) to bridge the gap between your home life and the time you spend out and about is now possible thanks to the availability of fast fixed and mobile broadband services.
The opportunities are almost endless. For example, going on holiday to the other side of the world - with today's technology you can get flight updates on the way to the airport and then watch films on your laptop on the plane. You can then use the Internet from your hotel room to access your music files or documents, or keep up with your favourite TV shows stored on your home computer.
That's not to mention checking e-mails on your home computer using your mobile phone or even keeping an eye on your home security by watching real-time video of the rooms in your house, if you have invested in the right technology.
It's easier than you think
More and more of today's technology works 'out of the box' thanks to the manufacturers making a real effort to ensure everything communicates with everything else. This means it is now possible to create the sort of high tech personal environment that was entirely the province of sci-fi films just a few short years ago - all these amazing devices you could only dream of are now a reality!
To get you started take a look at some of the other articles on our site, which explain in what you'll need to make three screen technology work for you.